Space deodorant apparatus



1964 A. l. MENDOLIA 3,

SPACE DEODORANT APPARATUS Filed June 15, 1960 INVENTOR.

43 ARTHUR I. MENDOLJA BYWQdA F G. 4 ATTOR/VE United States Patent Ofi ice 3,119,649 Patented Jan. 28, 1964 3,11%,649 SPACE DEGDORANT APPARATUS Arthur I. Mandolin, Santa Pauia, Calif., assignor to Mediclean, Incorporated, a corporation of California Filed June 15, 1960, Ser. No. 36,324 1 Claim. (Cl. 21-77) This invention generally relates to an apparatus for deodorizing space enclosures, and it is primarily designed for utilization in conjunction with the maintenance of healthful and pleasant, sanitary atmospheres in restrooms, hospitals, and other closed areas which may be subject to unhealthful and/or unpleasant odors. More specifically, the invention relates to space deodorant apparatus which is responsive in its operation to a particular movement of a door or other equivalent member leading to the area to be deodorized and disinfected.

During the past few years, several different types of space deodorant devices have become available on the market. Most of these devices embody either aerosol type pressurized fluids, released upon the opening of a valve or manually actuated fluids adapted to be sprayed from a receptacle. Certain efforts have been made, according to the prior art, to develop space deodorant apparatus actuated in response to the closing or opening of a door (for example, in restrooms); however, such efforts have for the most part remained unsuccessful in view of the complexity of the apparatus and related high production costs. Furthermore, such apparatus of this type as has been designed is not pleasing in appearance and oftentimes requires extensive modification of existing equipment.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a space deodorant apparatus embodied as a part of a combination including conventional door closing means, the latter being modified to a limited extent.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a space deodorant apparatus which may simply and conveniently be installed, and which may readily be maintained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a space deodorant apparatus which embodies a minimum number of parts, which does not present an unsightly appearance, and which may be economically produced.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a space deodorant apparatus which embodies parts relatively trouble-free in operation and which is of a construction such that unskilled help may be employed in the repair or replacement of parts as well as the replacement of the deodorant fluid employed as such.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are generally obtained by providing a space deodorant apparatus comprising door closing means coupled to a door or equivalent member with the door closing means including an outlet passage and being designed so as to force air through the outlet passage in response to a given movement of the door. A frame member is mounted on the door closing means, and a fluid deodorant receptacle is coupled to the frame member.

Fluid ejection nozzle means communicates with and is coupled to the receptacle, the nozzle means being designed to withdraw and eject fluid from the nozzle in response to air flow therethrough. Tubular means conneot the outlet passage of the door closing means with the nozzle means such that air flow through said outlet passage upon movement of the door will effect an emission of fluid from the receptacle into the space enclosure to be deodorized.

A better understanding of the present invention will be had by reference to the drawings, showing merely an illustrative embodiment, and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial view of a door having door closing means mounted thereon of a type embodied in the combination of the present invention, and disclosing the outlet passage and tubular connection to the fluid deodorant receptacle.

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 except showing the frame member of the space deodorant apparatus mounted on the door closing means;

FIGURE 3 is a back view of the frame member shown in FIGURE 2, illustrating the fluid deodorant receptacle mounted therein; and,

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view of the encircled arrowed portion 44 of FIGURE 1.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIGURE 1 a door 10 which may be provided with a hinge 11 for pivotable coupling to a door jamb or the like, not shown.

Door closing means 12 are shown coupled to the door It) and include a spring frame 13 which may be appropriately secured with screws to a marginal upper edge of the door. The spring frame 13 has extending therefrom an arm 14, which has its other end connected to a cylinder 15. The cylinder 15 may be provided with end closures or members 16 and 17.

As above described, the door closing means 12, as described, is of conventional construction. In other words, the spring frame 13 houses a spring designed to force the door It to its closed position. On the other hand, the cylinder 15 houses a conventional piston which tends to cushion the closure of the door against the action of the spring. Such components are well known in the art and form no part of the present invention.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the conventional outlet adjacent the end member 17 of the cylinder 15 is replaced with a valve assembly 18. Other than this change, no modifications are made to the conventional door closing means construction. A better understanding of the operation of the valve assembly 18 will be had as the specification proceeds.

Referring to FIGURE 2 now, there is shown a sup porting member or frame 19 mounted over the cylindrical piston enclosure member 15. The frame member 1% is provided with an opening 2th to enable fluid deodorant to be sprayed therethrough as hereafter described.

Referring now to the view of FIGURE 3, it will be seen that the frame member 19 is provided with a front panel 21 having rearwardly turned back edge portions 22, 23, 24-, and 25. The edge portions or side walls 24 and 25 are, respectively, provided with notched openings 26 and 2.7 sufficiently large such that the cylindrical member 15 may extend therein.

For the purpose of securing the frame member 19 to the door closing means 12, first spring clip means in the form of U-shaped spring clips 28 and 29 are rigidly secured to the lower edge portion 23 of the frame 19. The spring clips 28 and 29 are designed to be frictionally engaged over the cylindrical member 15 to securely mount the frame member 19 thereon. The spring clips 28 and 29 may be welded or otherwise secured to the lower edge portion 23 and/or to the back side of the front panel 21.

In addition, there is provided a second spring clip means in the form of an angular bracket 30 which has an inner edge thereof appropriately secured to the back side of the front panel 21. The spring member 30 is shaped to receive a deodorant fluid receptacle 31 which is preferably formed out of plastic so as to be corrosion resistant.

The receptacle 31 is provided with an upper opening 32 sealed off with a cork 33 or the like. For convenience in removing the cork 33, a notch 34 may be provided in the turn-back edge portion 22 such that an operator may 3 fill the unit 31 without removing the frame member 19 from the cylindrical member 15.

The fluid receptacle 31 has further coupled thereto in an upper portion thereof a nozzle means 35 which may be of a conventional type which Withdraws and ejects fluid in the form of a spray upon the passage of air therethrough.

A tubular member in the form of a flexible hose or tube 36 communicates between the nozzle member 35 and the valve assembly 18, as shown in FIGURE 1. Preferably, the hose or tube member 36 is completely covered by the front panel 21 as shown in the view of FIGURE 2.

As more clearly seen in the view of FIGURE 4, the end closure 17 of the cylindrical member 15 is provided with an outlet passage or opening 37 which communicates with a tubular extension member 38, the latter forming a part of the valve assembly generally designated by the numeral 18. The tubular extension 38 is provided with a bleeder opening or passage 39 enabling air to be drawn in from atmosphere into the cylinder 15 during the non-pumping stroke of the piston Within the cylinder 15.

Coupled to the tubular extension member 38 is a valve body 40 provided with an inner annular valve seat 41 adapted to cooperate with a ball-type valve 42.

The ball member 42 is shown in its seated position against the valve seat 41 closing off the outlet passage 37 to the tubular member 36.

Upon the pumping stroke of the piston within the cylinder 15, air will be exhausted through the outlet passage 37 to force the ball 42 towards the right, as viewed in FIGURE 4, whereupon it will contact fingers 43. As such, air may pass around the ball 42 past the fingers 43 and into the tubular member 36 to actuate the nozzle means 35.

Of course, other forms of equivalent check valve members could be employed.

The operation of the space deodorant apparatus, according to the present invention, will thus be apparent from the foregoing description. In assembling the apparatus, it is merely necessary to mount the conventional door closing means 12 modified to include the valve assembly, as shown in FIGURE 4. Thereafter, the frame member 19, including the receptacle 31 mounted in the spring bracket 30, is mounted over the cylindrical member 15 with the U-shaped clips 28 and 29 retaining the frame member 19 thereon. At the time the mounting is made, the hose member 36 is connected to the nozzle 35 and to the valve body 40 as indicated in FIGURE 4. d

In the event refilling is required, it is merely necessary for the maintenance man or other person to remove 4 the cork member 33 and fill, with a funnel or the like, the receptacle 31 with the particular fluid deodorant employed.

It will be appreciated, as a consequence of this construction, that every time the door closes air will be forced through the outlet passage 37 to the nozzle means to force fluid from the receptacle 31 out through the opening 20 into the atmosphere of the particular space being deodorized. Upon the return stroke of the piston within the cylindrical member 15 and closure of the valve 42, air will be drawn in through the bleeder passage 39 directly from atmosphere into the cylindrical member 15 such that no action occurs tending to withdraw fluid from the receptacle 31.

It will be appreciated that various modifications and changes may be made to this space deodorant apparatus Without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven tion as set forth in the following claim.

What is claimed is:

A space deodorant apparatus, comprising: door closing means including a cylindrical piston enclosure member coupled to said door, said door closing means also including an outlet passage and being designed to force air through said outlet passage in response to a given movement of said door; check valve means provided in said outlet passage enabling only outward flow therethrough; a bleeder passage in said outlet passage bypassing said check valve means enabling said door closing means to draw in air from atmosphere; a rectangular frame member including first U-shaped spring clip means for mounting of said frame member on said cylindrical member of said door closing means to cover said cylindrical member; second spring clip means comprising an angled spring bracket secured to the back of said frame member; a fluid deodorant receptacle designed to be coupled to said frame member by said second spring clip means; fluid ejection nozzle means communicating with and coupled to said receptacle, said nozzle means being designed to withdraw and eject fluid from said receptacle in response to air flow therethrough, said frame member defining an opening through the front thereof for ejection of fluid; and, tubular means connecting said outlet passage to said nozzle means such that air flow upon said movement of said door will effect emission of fluid from said receptacle.

Goodhue Feb. 4, 1919 Feldstein Nov. 7, 1939 

